their faithfull obedience vnto all the Ostrogotti who did raigne in Italie among the which Theodoricke was so respected of the Sea of Rome chiefly of Pope S. Hormisda that they had almost canonized him as is written There was no seruice whereinto they did not obey those princes if they had any occasion to send any Embassadours they did vndergoe it as Pope Innocent the first tooke a legation from Alarico to the Emperour Honorius to negotiat his peace and to obtaine a dignitie to that Arrian King And further to declare how sacred they did hold their obedience to whatsoeuer King God did place ouer them they did vndertake Embassages from Arrian Princes in fauour of Artian Churches for conseruation of Arrians and in case of excommunication as Iean the second and Pope Agapet were imployed by Theodoric and Theodotus Now to him who will answere to this that these Princes were not excommunicate therefore the Church did serue them I replie that there was greater cause to excommunicate them then nor nowadayes is taken against Christian Princes and which is more we find the letters of Hormisda and others to Anastase as full of honor and respect as if he had beene free from the sentence of excommunication and of Gregorie the second to the Emperour Leon Iconomachus albeit he was excommunicate by that same Pope himselfe which things we must not imagine to haue bin done at randome or pro tempore but from good warrant appearantly since the iurisdiction spirituall is onely ouer the soules of men Church gouâ—…rnours ought not to transcend their ordinary bounds to meddle with the bodies or temporall states of Kings but their Fulmen Ecclesiasticum the thunder of excommunication should bee onely spirituall and like vnto the naturall thunder which can strike a man to the death without the meanest offence done vnto the apparell of his body For I would aske the Iesuite albeit the Church haue power ouer the Kings soule if it be so that they might rashly excommunicate him what right haue they for this ouer his kingdome and people If they haue why did Saint Paul in his time cry Querimus vos non vestra And why hath Saint Ambrose and Optatus Mileuitanus in his third booke Aduersus Parmenianum said That Emperours and Kings be within the Church but that the Empire is without it yea say they the Church is within the Empire in token that Antiquitie did exempt things temporall from the dint of excommunication when Pope Marcelline did sacrifice to Idols and Pope Honorio became a Monothelet Hereticke they were excommunicate but did not loose their Bishopprickes Pope Formose Bishop of Port was chosen successor to the same Pope who had excommunicate him And in the Counsell holden at Lions vnder Pope Gregorie the tenth it was concluded that Cardinals albeit excommunicate might assist the Pope his election by their vote and presence So modest were the Fathers in the point of Princely authoritie that Paulus Samosetanus against whom the Councell of Carthage was conuocate being deposed from Episcopall charge hee did yet possesse a certaine territory belonging to the Church but these Bishops demanded iustice thereof of the Emperour Aurelian albeit an Ethnicke because all that was ciuill and worldly did belong vnto the Empire The Church saith Augustine vpon Saint Iohn doth possesse no patrimonie nor goods but Iure humano Iure diuino she hath nothing This Iure humano is the Right Imperiall of Princes which being vsurped of any other it hath no more Title nor right vpon earth saith he So was it the constant meaning and doing of the ancient Fathers to thinke that they had nothing which they might refuse vnto the Emperours but the onely house of God Nor yet that saith Ambrose if I were assured that the Emperour speaking of Valens would not plant Arrians into it in which case onely I would presse to retaine it O what difference betwixt that and this blind ambitious and impudent age wherein Church rulers make open doctrine and profession to Master Princes lawfull and orthodoxall and to â—…reade vpon their neckes holie antiquitie would not aduenture to take from an excommunicate Bishop an house belonging to the Church but by the authoritie of the Emperour nor would not resiste the Emperoer by violence for the Temple of God to ane hereticke king although it were to giue it to heriticall pastoures whereas the plaine guyse of this time is to be Piscatores piscium non hominum and to abuse excommunication and the papall Thunder to spoyle a king of his cloathes to dethrone him of his kingdomes and to make him naked of his subiects Thirdlie we doe obserue of the primitiue Church that whensoeuer she did enioy good and godly Emperours they did not onelie not repute them as priuate members of the Church iudicable by the power Ecclesiasticall but contrarie they hold them chiefe members of their generall counsels vnder their misticall head Iesus Christ yeelding to them the authoritie of conuocation and whole exteriour Iurisdiction giuing them the tittle of common and externall Bishopes For we reade in Eusebius that Constantine the great was called so of the Church and said to bee brother vnto the fathers in which qualitie of a common Bishop he did exercise his power ouer the Church exteriorlie and ouer Bishops In like maner we find that in the Calcedonian councel the Emperour was called vniuersall Bishops yea Antiquitie did esteme no counsell supreame wherein an Emperour did not sit and praesidiat In all the appellationes of the primitiue Church which forme of Iudicatore is fittest to try where the maine sway of authoritie doth lie because it was absolute soueraigne and without declinatour hauing power against the Tyrannous gouernment of Popes against discords of other Prelats against vniust decrees of counsels themselues In all these appellations I say we finde that none was esteemed supreame but that wherein the Emperour did ouer rule as the only power vpon earth which is in dependant The first appellation we reade of in the Church was by Cyrillus Bishoppe of Ierusalem from the condemnatorie of one Counsel to another more general assisted sayth he with Seculare brachium with seculare power which he called a prouocation vnto a greater Iudgemement And so his cause was examined in the counsell of Seleucia As for the cause of Athanasius which did preceed that it was rather a remission of the processe to the counsell of Sardiâ—… then an appeale and went alwaies by the direction will of the Emperour Constantine to whom Saint Anthony write diuers letters directlie praying him for the restitution of Athanasius Saint Iohn Chrisost. in a second appellation did prouoke in the same tearmes with Cyrill to a higher iudge a more generall counsell assisted with imperiall authoritie as it cleare by a third appellation of Dioscorus Bishop of Alexandria the time of the counsell of Calcedon in which appeale he doth expresselie protest that the coniunction of the imperiall
authoritie of a sacred Emperour declaring therby that in the poynts of externall policy he did esteeme them as men ordinary subiects whō in their spiritual functions he had counted as Gods The same authoritie was practised by Charlemaine who in his time did conuocate eight Councels and by his sonne Lewis Debonnaire who did assemble one And to shew it more plainely that this power to conuocate was Imperiall and not Episcopall we read how all the Popes of those dayes did write to Emperours for that effect Pope Innocent sent to Honorius fiue Bishops two Priests to obtaine a Councell for the restitution of Saint Iohn Chrysostome as we read in Euagrius Pope Leo doth beseech Valentine the third to obtaine of Theodose the yonger a Councell against Eutiches and in token that the Popes did not so much as pretend this power to assemble wee finde in Sozemene that Pope Iulius complaines onely that the Bishops of the Orient did not inuite him to the Councell of Antioch saying that a law of the Church prouided that no Decree should passe without the opinion asked of the Bishop of Rome And in Theoderet Pope Damasus makes the same complaint and in the same termes against the councel of Arimini in which such honour was done to the Emperour Constantius and such reuerence to his authoritie that the Fathers conuened there being detayned too long and being pressed to put downe some Decrees which were not orthodoxall they durst not for all that depart vntill they had the Emperours leaue and permission Further now will wee obserue the very internall Iurisdiction of the Church and that which is meerely spirituall to wit the sentence of Excommunication and how it was exercised we doe finde two things in that one is we shall not see that the primitiue Church did excommunicate any Emperour or King albeit there were more occasion against them nor is now contained in the great Bul of the holy Thursday which is yeerely published at Rome against Christian Kings and States Constantius and Valeus persecuting heretikes Trinitaries who would haue forced the Fathers to confessions against the Catholike faith were not excommunicate Theodose the second and Valentinian the third Eutichean heretikes were not excomunicate Basilieius enemie to the Councell of Calcedon Iustinian and of Kings Chilpericke King of France infected with Arrianisme Theodoricke King of Gothes Atalarichus Theodotus Vittiges and many others of whom none was excommunicate no not Iulian the Apostata nor Valentinian the second who fell in an heresie three seuerall times nor Iustinian who fell twise no when they had banished Popes themselues for wee read in an Epistle of Pope Siluerius that beng banished by Belizarius at the command of Iustinian his Master he assembled certaine Bishops to excommunicate Belizarius but did not so much as murmurre against Iustinian by whose direction he was persecuted Neither yet if they did kill a Bishop a◅ Valens who caused some of them to be drowned Secondly we obserue on this point of Excommunication that Bishops in the primitiue Church did excommunicate by the consent and permission Imperiall for Princes fearing that Church Rulers should abuse the spirituall sword made an ordinance repeated afterwards by Iustinian that no person should bee excommunicate vnlesse the cause of their sentence were before the Emperour cleerely prooued to be agreeable to the will and meaning of the holy Spirit which Saint Augustine doth expressely acknowledge in an Epistle to Boniface saying that the Church doth exercise her power against heretikes vnder the permission and power of Kings Some Bishops haue questioned hardly with Emperours as a Bishop did commaund Phillip the Emperour that hee should not enter into the Church but remaine without in the place of the Penitentiaries Saint Ambrose Bishop of Milane dealt right so with Theodosius the great but they did not pronounce any Excommunication maior against them for then they would not haue enioyned them penance if they had beene without the bosome of the Church As for Anastatius albeit some Churches as that and the Church of Ierusalem did excommunicate him yet he was euer in peace and vnion with numbers of Catholike Churches in the Orient which did declare that it was not magnum anathema but rather a t◅merarious Act howsoeuer this be such two or three exceptions will not serue against one ordinarie rule for then to meete these we finde in like manner three extraordinarie acts of Imperiall authoritie which caused excommunicate or eiect the Popes Xistus the third of that name suspected for adulterie was excommunicate by commaundement of Valens the third Theodoricke King of Gothes did eiect from the Church Pope Symmachus And the people of Rome vnder the Magistrates did forbid Pope Pelagius the assembly of the Church besides Saint Iohn Chrysostome deposed and expelled from his Church by Arcadius As for the excommunication of Arcadius done by Pope Gelasius it is doubted of in the Ecclesiasticall histories but I doe not speake of such extrauagant acts but of that which was ordinarily followed whereby it is still verified that the whole sway of Iurisdiction Ecclesiasticall was in the Emperors The Conuocation was due to them the processe went by their permission and consent their persons were exempted from excommunication as wee haue heard which bee three maine points of soueraigne Commandement For the fourth which is the confirmation of the Popes it was also due to the Emperours Constantius the sonne of Constantine hee banished Liberius and erected Pope Felix in his place yea farther hee recalled that good Prelate did establish him with the other Theodosius the great a great pillar of the Church by the right Emperiall he setled at Rome together with a Pope a Bishop of a diuers religion I thinke for satisfaction of a mutinous people Laeonius in his time was Bishop of Rome for the Church of the Nouatianes Honorius his son again comming into Italie while Boniface and Eulalius did contend for the Pontificat he chased them both away and after placed Boniface making lawes against such ambicious competences Iulius Nepos the tyrant ouercomming Glicerius the Emperour he made him Pope as Euagrius doth recorde for some hold that he made him onelie Bishop of Milane because he is not found in the catalogue of the Popes Odoacre king of the Horoli being master of Rome he made an ordinance at the solistation of Pope Simplicius and to the imitation of proceeding Emperours That no Pope should be exalted without the consent of Emperiall authoritie When the Emperours had recouered Rome from the Goths Iustinian did not only eiect Vigilius but made him come to Constantinople to be iudged offering to the people of Rome his Arch-deacon Pelagius whereupon they thanked the Emperour willing him to suffer Vigilius and after his death to establish whom he pleased which right did so continue with the seate imperiall that Saint Gregorie the greate durst not honour himselfe with his titles before he had receaued the imperiall confirmation of
hereses aborta sunt nisi dum Episcopus contemnitur homo dignatione Dei honoratus ab indignis hominibus iudicatur from whence are heresies saith he but because vnworthy men doe censure and despise him whom God hath honoured with preferment Basilius saith that the vnitie of the Church doth depend from the vnitie of the Bishop and that the erection of a second Bishop within one Diocesse vnlesse it be to help and assist him by his own consent hath euer been esteemed the breeding of schisme but of all the Auncients Saint Ierom doth best cleare the truth of this point euen hee who is pretended to be flagellum Episcopâ—… the scourge of Bishops as you shall see It is true indeed that Ierom writing vpon the first of the Epistle to Titus hath once called the Episcopall authoritie rather a custome then an Apostolicall Tradition saying thus Before that by instinct of the Deuill there were factions in the Church and that it was said among the people I am of Paul I am of Apollo and I of Cephas the Church was gouerned by the common consent of the Presbyters but after through all the world it was decreed that one of the Presbyters should be placed aboue the rest to whom should apperteine the whole Ecclesiasticall care and extirpation of schisme Thus far Iâ—…m Out of which words the Presbyterians doe extort this consequence that the primitiue Church was gouerned by presbyteriall policie without Bishops to this the answer is first if it were granted to come in by a consueted and not by a primitiue tradition Yet the consequence is voyde against Bishops vnlesse we will say that Presbyters and Deacons were not neither an Apostolicall ordination because in the beginning the Apostles did gouerne the Church without both these by consent of the people as it is manifest by the Epistle to Titus as Creta Corynth Ephesus and Philippi before they had Episcopus or Presbyter whom when they did receiue the Church did yet remaine vnder the rule of the Apostles Secondly it is answered where hee speakes of the choosing of one Presbyter aboue the rest for taking order with schismes that schismes were begun in the Apostles ownetime so that this same election hath been also then begun or otherwise that the Apostles haue not been so wise as their Successors which were absurd to hold Thirdly it is answered that reason of Ierom taketh away Deacons as well as Bishops because the murmurations of the Greekes against the Hebrewes moued that institution as wee know which was not in the beginning Fourthly it is answered this opinion of Ierom is singular and perhaps of temerarious and discontented humour hee being but a Presbyter For while he speaketh of a noueltie in the Church accepted through all the world he should haue put downe the time by particular circumstances otherwise hee leaueth his opinion weake and obnoxious Lastly the answer is The best Doctors of the Church haue erred in their writts and haue set downe their Retractions as Augustâ—… so is it of veritie that Ierom hath mended himselfe 〈◊〉 this particular 〈◊〉 hath made an ample palinode and Recantation 〈◊〉 in this argument it is ouer past and suppressed by the presbyterian Cleargie as if none but they could finde it out In his epistle to Euagrius Alexandria inquit 〈◊〉 Marco Euangelista â—…sque ad Heracliâ—… 〈◊〉 Episcopos Presbyteri vnum ex sese electum in excelsiori gradâ—… collocatuâ—… ad tollenda schismata Episcopum 〈◊〉 quomodo si exercituâ—… Imperatorem faciat At Alexandriâ—… from Saint Marke the Euangelist vntill Heracliâ—… and Dionisius Bishops The Presbyters did â—…ill choose one of themselues to bee aboue them for auoyding of schismes whom they called Bishop euen aâ—…if an armie should create an Emperour Againe in the preamble of his Commentaries vpon Mattheâ—… he saith that Markâ—… was the first Bishop of Alexandria that 〈◊〉 dyâ—… 〈◊〉 thâ—… times of the Apostles the seuenth yeare of Nero he doth testifie in his Catalogue Script ecclesinst that which is true thaâ—… Ananiâ—… suereeded him therefore it must follow of his owne words that he was 〈◊〉 by them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exeroituâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aâ—… an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ate an Emperour Thirdly in an otherplace most plainâ—… Totius Ecclesiâ—… salutâ—…m à Summâ—… 〈◊〉 dignâ—…ate 〈◊〉 câ—… si non exors abâ—…mnibus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 potestâ—… tâ—… in Ecelesia efficereÌ„â—…r schisâ—…ta quot Sacerdâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he The Churches prosperitio doth relieâ—…n the 〈◊〉 of the chiefe Priest or Bishop of the Church 〈◊〉 if hee haue not granted vnto him a free power aboue the rest there would be as many schismes as Priests withâ—… the Church so that Ierom must confesse that â—…rke and Anianâ—… at Alexâ—… and 〈◊〉 and Ignaâ—… 〈◊〉 Antioch were constitute by the ordiâ—…ce of ouâ—… Sâ—…our or then that the Apostles did institute 〈◊〉 to the minde of Christ which is absâ—…d to holâ—… 〈◊〉 lastlâ—… the conclusion of thaâ—… Epistle as I 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…lated doth referre the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Iewish Church in which speeches first and last of Ierom we doe not onely obserue the great benefit redounding to the Church by Bishops and the end why they were created for vnitie and auoyding of schismes but we doe in like manner marke the antiquitie of that policie from S. Marke and the authoritie and power thereof as if an Armie should choose an Emperour saith hee and the succession thereof to Dionisius and lastly the vniuersalitie thereof Decretum erat in toto orbe terrarum saith hee It was decreed throughout the whole world wherevpon hee hath concluded that the weale of the Church doth depend à Summi Sacerdotis dignitate from the worth of the Bishop After that some of the inferiour Clerkes who did assist the informall election of Nouatian in the place of Cornelius were againe reduced vnto the Catholike Church their penitence was declared in these words We are not ignorant that there is one God one Christ one holy Ghost one Bishop into one Church whereby wee see that vnitie was the end of Episcopall institution When Constantine at the instance of the deuout Matrons of Rome licenced Liberius to returne but withall appointed that Church gouernment to bee common betwixt him and Felix The faithfull people deriding that ordinance of the Arrian Emperour cryed aloud as Theodore writeth one God one Church one Bishop So that antiquitie doth euer ascribe the benefit of vnitie in the Church vnto that apostolicall and ancient policie Thirdly for testimonies for the succession of the Bishops in the Church from the Apostles hitherto there be so many that for a short rehearsall one knoweth not what to choose Against the Bishopricks of Titus and Timothie many things bee idly pretended which are plainly discussed by those Theologues who haue expresly handled this question but against those who doe alledge that they remained not at Ephesus and Creta numbers of Authors beare witnesse Dorothaus in Synopsi Soph in Catal in tot Ifidorus de vita morte
haue done Of all the Doctours of Antiquity Ierome is most sought to by the Presbyterians The Councell of Sardica cap. 10. 13. hath decreed that if a rich man by meanes of Court come to bee a Bishop hee shall first performe the office of a Reader Deacon and Presbyter that by degrees hee may ascend to the height of a Bishopricke Nazianzene giueth testimony of Athanasius and Basil that they ascended into Episcopall dignity by the spiritual Law through all the degrees of Ecclesiasticall offices The Councell of Antioch that whatsoeuer things appertaine vnto the Church are to bee gouerned by the authority of the Bishop by whom say they people are instructed The Councell of Calcedon decreed that none should build a Cloyster or Monastery without the consent of the Bishop of the City and that all Monasticall persons should bee subiect to the Bishop And if we should search all the Doctours Fathers and Councells wee should finde that Episcopall policy accompanied with a cleere consent of all Catholike antiquitie to applaud it So farre that for the first thousand yeeres of the Church no man hath beene knowen to denie or decline it but onely Aereus who was therefore compted an Heretike by Augustine in his Catalogue of heresies and by Epiphanius also which hath not beene rashly nor with repentance affirmed by Augustine as some hold for it was written after his retractation and after his writing of 230 Bookes besides his Epistles and Homilies He saith in his preface that it is hard to giue an accurate definition of an Hereticke he reckoneth vp 53. heresies which after Christs ascenscion were contrary to his doctrine giuing the last place to that of Aereus And concluding in the end of all Omnis it aque Christianus Catholicus ista non debet credere Euery Christian Catholike ought not therfore to beleeue them The Coūcell of Nice hauing decreed that the Catharists or Nauatians or a sort of sublimitated Puritans of these daies returned to penitence vnto the Church those who had brooked any dignity of before should be repossessed of any office whatsoeuer in the Church except it were to displace a Bishop which should not bee lawfull to him who hath beene a Nouatian Bishop But hee should content himselfe to be a Priest vnlesse the Bishop would receiue him to be a Coadiutor or communicate to him the honour of the name or if hee like him not to finde him a Choro-Episcopat or Presbyterat To the end as Ruffinus sayes Ne in ◅na Ciuitate duo sint Episcopi that there should not be two Bishops in one City Augustine being ignorant of this when he was drawen from Nauationisme to bee Bishop of Hippona while yet Ualerius liued because of his great woorth when Augustine himselfe became old and nominated Euodius to be his Successour and had chosen him himselfe to be his Coadiutor yet hee held it vnlawfull during his owne life to ordinate him Bishop when Ualerius ordained me Bishop said he we were both ignorant of the decree of the Connsell of Nice but what was reprehended in me shall not be blamed in my Successour as Possidon hath it Quod sibi factum esse doluit alijs fieri noluit So did this holy man reuerence that ordinance of Nice in fauours of orthodoxall Bishops neither shall we find through all ancient Counsels or Fathers one who hath not done the like reposing still the glory of the Church vpon the authority of Bishops according to that which Dauid did foresee in his Propheticall spirit saying in his 45. Psalme Insteed of Fathers children shall be borne vnto thee whom thou shalt make Princes in all the earth which word Augustine doth interprete insteed of Apostolos who were thy fathers O Catholike Church sonnes who are Bishops are created vnto thee therefore thinke not thy selfe forsaken because thou seest not Peter nor Paul who begat thee Agnoscant quiprecisi sunt veniant ad vnitatem Let them saith hee who are Opiniators and Schismatiks acknowledge those sonnes who be borne to the Church to be her Princes ouer all the Earth The like exposition Ierom the pretended Patron of Presbyters maketh vpon the words of Esay in the 17. verse of the 60. chapter according to the Septuagint speaking to the future estate of the Church through a Reuelation I will giue thy Princes in peace and thy Bishops in righteousnesse whereon Ierome Heerein saith hee the Maiesty of the holy Scripture is to be admired who calleth futuros Ecclesia Episcopos The Princes and Rulers that were to be of the Church Bishops whose visitation is all in peace and the name of their dignity all in righteousnesse saith he So that we finde an excesse of honor and dignity which from Primitiue and ancient times hath beene yeelded to this vertuous Prelacie in the Church Doth not Tertullian who liued in the first 200 yeeres write this of Bishops not onely yeelding vnto them poynts of preeminence and iurisdiction but speaking of the celebration of the Sacrament The Bishop saith hee hath the right to minister Baptisme and then the Presbyters and Deacons but not without the authoritie of the Bishop for the honour of the Church which being safe peace is safe In regard of which Catholike and constant testimonies from time to time what shall wee say shall we not for once thinke it impossible that the successours of the Apostles all the holy Fathers so many Martyrs and Saints would haue abolished that gouernment whatsoeuer which Christ and his Apostles left vnto the Church for the next shall we not hold it impossible to fall out that any policie which was not receiued from the Apostles could be at one time embraced of the whole Christian world and approoued of all generall counsels in the Primitiue Church For the last shall we not thinke it a scorne beyond all scornes that all those antiquities and Apostolicall traditions witnessed by Apostolicall men generall counsels Fathers Doctours Catholike consent without interruption must bee condemned for follies schismes corruptions by some pure and Heteroclite braines who haue start vp more then 1500. yeeres after to impugne the credit of the Church Gouernment qualified by so many diuine men whose faith was tried in the fire of affliction and who sealed their profession with glorious Martyrdome Certainely if it must be so we may say that the true light hath endured a miraculous ecclipse and that great knowledge hath beene long reserued to bee at length vouchsafed to the Allobrogicall Doctours CHAP. XI The opinion of the Archi-Reformatours concerning Church-Policie FInally to conclude this point of the Church-Policy I come to shew what haue beene the opinions of Protoreformatours concerning the same In the Augustine confession which is the first publike Protestant act wherin wee can obserue it this Article is contained wee haue oft say they out of our great desires protested to obserue the Ecclesiasticall policie in all degrees as it is canonicall in the Chruch and to reuerence the authority of
not onely the soules of men but their bodies and goods yea the sacred D◅adems of annoynted Kings Was there euer a pride equall to this that a Priest shall thinke it his due that Kings and Monarks shall kisse his foote that he shall say to himselfe Sup◅ basiliscum ◅labo conoulc◅◅nem that hee shall arrogate power to sell the Kingdome of heauen and count himselfe God vpon the earth saying with Augustus Diuisum imperium cum Ioue Caesan habet stil following Gentiselime striuing as the Ethnicke Emperors did tomake it again Roma caput Mundi Such perpetual toyle busines doth that Consistory keep about this my stery that it may be said of thē as Lucianus mocking the plurality idlenes of the Poeticall gods said of Iupiter while som other god one day would haue talk't with him it was told him that he was busie quid facit parturit said one hee is a trauayling of the birth of Minerua whom the Poets faine to be bred in the braine of Iupiter Sowee may affirme of them Quod semper parturiant they bee euer bringing foorth their birth but what birth is it Minerua counsels bookes or precepts of wisedome no they doe not imitate Iupiter to bring foorth Minerua true wisedome of pietie and peace they imitate that Goddesse of wrath Nemesis who did send through the world with her Pandora the bookes of curiositie contention malignitie and dissention the bookes of vengeance and endlesse discord witnesse their Archipandora Bellarmine in his Treatise of the Papall Supremacie whereof I shall speake hereafter witnesse their Pandora Mariana the Iesuite heere you shall see what is the birth of their trauailing murther of Princes rebellion of Subiects bloud of legions desolation of Countries setting on fire the whole world for building againe that Tower of Babell which doth keepe Christian people in such desperate pacoxisme and diuision of tongues that alas wee are neuer like to speake one language so hath the Lord punished their pride their vnspeakable pride which is like vnto the pride of him who said Ascendam super altudinem nubium super moxtes Aquilonis fimilie ero altissimo They be in effect Cloudes high with proud ambition moyst and humide with letcherie bright and shining with glorious ostentation thundring with arrogance and tumults which they contriue Hi sunt nubes sine aqua quae a ventis circumferuntur saith Thaddeus this is that fatall Tower builded by that mighty Nimrod the Diuell whereof God hath concluded Tollatur in altum vt lapsu grauiore cadat It must bee mounted to great heigth that it may also haue a great fall it may be iustly called fatall the very Church doth not escape this blot but euen her first plants haue beene annoyed with these pernicious weedes of pride and ambition Aaron and Miriam grudged against Moses and did striue for authoritie The first sacred Colledge of our Christian Religion the twelue Apostles were not free of this contagion Iames and Iohn called of Saint Paul the Arch-pillers which did sustaine Christs Church they contended for the right hand of Christ. It is strange that Diuines and Prelates should not learne the wisedome of humilitie from the very stile of the Spirit of God speaking in these particulars When this Tower of Babel vnto the which I compare the pride of Rome was builded in the Land of Senair which is interpreted to stinke as is said by the posteritie of Noe the text sayes they parted from the Orient which is interpreted Christ as Zachary testifies Ecce vir Oriens nomen eius subter eum orietur lux And Luke Perviscera misericordiae Dei nostri in quibus visitauit nos Oriens ex alto they were the sonnes of Noe who went from this Orient to Sanair but from that forward the holy Spirit doeth no more call them the Sonnes of Noah but the Sonnes of Adam Descendit Dominus vidit vrbem quam edificanerunt filij Adam Euen so speaking of this pride of Iames Iohn he doth not vouchsafe them the names of Apostles nor their owne names but the sonnes of Zebedoeus Accessit ad Iesum mater filiorum Zebedei which is a notable Art of the Spirit of God to reproch pride O you blinde Prelates of Rome you sonnes of Adam and not of Noe you sonnes of Zebedeus and not Apostles why haue ye through your pride lost your names and parted from your Orient if your Tower were firmely established as that of Dauid vpon Sion no tempest were able to shake it it is but of stones taken out of the slime of the earth forged out of earthly auarice and ambition That of Dauid was founded vpon a sure rocke fundata super firmam Petram as it is said in the Gospell Ipso summo angulari Lapide Christo hauing Christ himselfe for the chiefe corner Stone therefore shall that of yours fall to the ground after the example of him who was the first author of such fabricks While I did behold at leisure in Rome this fulnesse and ouerflowing of concupiscence in mens manners one may easily gesse that it was to mee like vnto the second appearing of the Angell of God to the Asse of Balaam In that Towne which was one of the first Mother Churches where pouertie contempt miserie and glorious martyrdome had beene indured for plantation of the faith where Pastors were meerely spirituall without regard to the world after the commaundement of their Master where so many Cloystorall and Monasticall deserts of true solitude and holinesse were to bee seene of olde that now adaies no vestigium doth remaine no marke of that sanctitie yea not a cloke sufficient to couer their nakednesse nothing but an Ocean of abuses the Rulers swelling in pride and riches polluted with filthinesse and lust defiled with Idolatrie seeking the world and dominion ouer Princes contrarie to the doctrine of the Apostles Non quaerimus quae vestra sunt sed vos Contrarie to the doctrine of the Prophets mittam vobis venatores multos qui venabuntur vos saith Ieremie Vos non vestra contrarie the doctrine of Christ himselfe faciam vos piscatores hominum he saith not piscium nor yet pecuniarum The people tyed to superstition religion turned to pharisaicall ceremonies the Euangel neglected the law became Mosaicall daylie impietie of all sortes daylie sacrifices and pardons for all abominatiōs the holy deserts opened again to the world and defiled with pride and vilanons lecherie the Towne smoking in the stincke of Sodom that if those faithfull fathers their first foundatours might againe looke vpon their Successores they would cry nec nos Patres nec vos fily The first Bishops of Rome who sustained Martyrdome being in number two and thirtie before Constantine the great what would they say to the Pope who walketh vpon the neckes of Monarkes while they succeeded onlie to Christ his Crosse what would that austere Saint Francis say vnto these Idle Bellies who haue abused his simple
Sanctorum vincent li. 10. cap. 38. Anthonius ex Policrate Part. titul 6. cap. 28. Niceph. li. 10. cap. 11. who all report that they liued and died the one at Ephesus and the other at Creta And as they were ordained by the Apostles so were diuerse others institute Bishops in diuerse places Eusebius witnesseth that about the yeere 45. Euodius was created by the Apostle Peter and Paul Bishop of Antioch and Ignatius who succeeded him in the Apostles time doth witnesse that Peter and Paul ordained Lâ—…nus Bishop of Rome An. 56. whom Anacletus succeeded after him Clemens obserued by Ireneus and Eusebius By the appointment of Saint Peter Marke was first Bishop of Alexandria To whom Aniâ—…us Abilius Cerdo all in the Apostles times witnesseth by Niceph. Gregory Ierome That Iames the iust was Bishop of Ierusalem institute by the Apostles immediately after the passion of our Sauiour Ierome doth affirme it Catalog scrip Eccles. Eusebius bringeth the most ancient testimonies of the Church for the same That to Iames the brother of our Lord surnamed the iust the throne Episcopall of Ierusalem was committed In particular hee bringeth Clemens Alexandrinus testifying that Iames Peter and Iohn did chuse Iames the iust Bishop of Ierusalem after the Ascension and Higesippus whom Ierome and Eusebius affirme to be of the first successours of the Apostles doe hold the same of Iames. Eusebius in his History giueth a Catalogue of 37. Bishops in Ierusalem betweene Iames and Macarius The same is testified by Ambrose and Augustine yea and all the general Councel of Constantinople whose records proue that Iames was the first Bishop to whom the Chayre of Ierusalem was trusted Now if any would say that these were Bishops but of one Church if there was but one in Crete how was it said Opidatim coÌ„stitues sicut ego te Ireneâ—… counted among the first of the primitiue writers speaking of the Church of Rome saith that the holy Apostles Peter and Paul the foundators thereof Tradiderunt Lino potestatem administrandi totius Ecclesiae That as the numbers of Christians did increase at Rome they were diuided in seuerall paroches vnder seuerall Presbyters by Euaristus Bishop of Rome which againe were augmented the Churches I meane by Higinus in the yeere 138 as Platina and Onuphrius doe testifie de Episcopat titul and Eusebius in his sixt Booke cap. 3. doth affirme that vnder Cornelius Bishop and Martyr in the yeere 250. there was in the Church of Rome 46. Presbyters 7. Deacons 100. other Clergy men and but one Bishop But of this point there is a cleere and manifest example and most free from controuersie of the seuen Churches of Asia ouer which was appointed the seuen Angels as Bishops confessed by Doctour Beza himselfe one also of your pretended Patrons calling the Angell of the Church of Ephesus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Prelate or gouernour Antistitem saith hee vt vocat Iustinus Of these Churches I say that euery one comprehended in circuite both City and Country Churches and euery one of them had but one Angell or Bishop As Polycarp at Smyrna was Bishop 13. yeeres before the Reuelation was deliuered as is obserued by Bullingerus in Apocal. and hee died a glorious Martyr as Eusebius prooueth in his 4. Booke cap. 15. by an Epistle of the Smyrnenses and Onesimus Bishop of the Church of Ephesus testifieth by Ignatius ad Epiphanium and Ignatius himselfe was at Antioch Epiphanius doth testifie that the Church of Alexandria had besides the Church called Caesarea which was burned in Iulian his time and reedified by Athanasius it had also that Church of Dionisius that of Thomas that of Pierius that of Serapion of Mepdidius of Annianus of Baucalis and Abias and that in one of those Colluthus was a Presbyter and in one Carpones in an other Sarmatas and Arrius a Presbyter in one Aps large testimonies haue wee of those of Asia that Ephesus was a great Metropolis hauing a large Countrey subiect to it That Pergamus was a famous City sometimes the seat of the Church of Asia that Smyrna Sardis Laodicia Philodelphia were great and mother Cities hauing within them many Churches Ignatius to the Smyruenses Viueremini inquit Episcepum Reuerence your Bishop saith hee as Christ and his Apostles doe command and in his Epistle ad Trallianos what is a Bishop saith he but one Qui principatum potestatem super omnes obtinet who hath power aboue the rest and what are Presbyters saith he Sed Collegium sacrum Conciliarij Coassessores and in his Epistle ad Magnetianos As Christ saith he doth nothing without the Father so must not the Presbyters or Deacons doe any thing without their Bishops Aliter iniquum est Deo odiosum otherwise it is iniquity and odious to God Cyprian who was the most indulgent Bishop we read of to his Presbyters and the most modest Prelate In the fift Epistle of his second Booke touching one Aurelius whom he did ordinate but aduice of the Church Clergy Wee vse deare brother to deliberate with you before and to weigh the manners and merits of men by your concurrence but wee need not to looke for the testimonies of men Cumprecedant diuina suffragia when wee are strengthened by diuine suffrages Like to this againe we find of him in his ordination of one Numidicus in the tenth Epistle of his fourth Booke Brethren saith he I aduertise you that Numidicâ—… by diuine inspiration is adioyned to the number of our Carthagine Presbyters and that hee doth sit with vs among the Clergy and what hath beene done by Cyprian we read not where it was retracted by any which I doe not put downe heere yet any Bishop should delight to imitate this kinde of rule but onely to shew what doth in cure appertaine to the person of a Bishop and the weight of his authority as the same Cyprian doth testifie in the 27. Epistle Indeper temporum suecessionum vices Episcoporum ordinatio Ecclesia Ratio decurrit vt super Episcopes Ecclesiam constituatur Et omnis actus Ecclesia peripsos gubernetur So hath it fallen out saith hee by length of time that the order of Bishops and the condition of Ecclesiasticall rule is such that it doth altogether rest with them and euery act thereof appertaine to them Now because I intend not to bee tedious in this discourse therefore you are to marke how of all these ancients I haue chosen out three whose testimonies and opinions in the question of Bishops is to bee esteemed most sincere for the reason following Of all the Bishops of Antiquity Cyprian was the most fauourable and most affected to his Presbyters and in his carriage more like to a Compresbyter then a Prelate Of all the Bishoppes of Antiquity whose writings are extant in the Church Ignatius is most ancient and hath drawne his knowledge out of the pure fountaines of Apostolicall wisedome and not from the riuers as his fellowes
cold againe contrary agree in tepidity swift and slow doe meet in a temperate motion the austerity of Hannibal and the meekenesse of Fabius agree in mid constitutions In end there is nothing which wanteth this sweet combination and harmony except Satan and his following spirits betwixt whom and God betwixt whom and his Saints betwixt whom goodnes peace concord loue and vnity there is no knot nor euer shall be but being of their proper corruption enemies to God and nature rebellious factious malitious spirits of discordance and distraction they doe naturally abhorre the sound of Harmony and Musicke So that for that point of vnion with the Church of England which standeth in the restitution of the Organs I thinke this will suffice apparantly to perswade any well disposed and iudicious man who hath not his braine set in Symbalis mâ—…le sonantibus as I haue said before Now I come to the ceremonie of the Clericall habit which is in the Church of England forbearing to reason in generall of the expediency and good and necessarie vse of graue and Maiestique ceremonies in the publike actions of state and ciuill gouernments without which it were not so easie to procure and maintaine popular reuerence to any auctoritie whatsoeuer and which be a true edification in Gods Church if not of our vnderstanding yet of our affections when out dull and secure mindes are stirred vp to a greater measure of reuerence and deuotion through beholding the exteriour Maiesty of Religious Ceremonies onely for the Church Minister his habit in particular I wil deliuer my opinion in sobriety thus There was neuer any age in the world which did not distinguish Counsellours and State-rulers from the people and the religious professours from the Laity by their robes peculiar to themselues as God we see himselfe did institute Aaron Therefore now while Christian Pastours bee more truely venerable and reueuerent because their function holdeth nothing of types but is perfect to say that they should not haue an honourable and comely apparell proper to them and not permitted to be carried of others it is meerely idle and absurd That he who is sequestred from the ordinary ciuill vocations in the world and consecrated to God who is the intercessour and ambassadour of the people vnto the throne of grace to offer out spirituall sacrifice to be secret and in a sort familiar with God that such a sacred person place and calling should not bee cloathed with externall marked of sanctitie and holy profession which markes ought not to be assumed by ciuill men I doe perswade my selfe that no man will affirme it Which ground breing true in the generall to come to a speciall consideration of the Church-vestiment and to a comparison betwixe the white surplis and the blacke gowne I would say the eullours be either in different or not indifferent if they bee indifferent then there is no great matter of debate but for vnities sake wee ought rather to embrace that which our neighbour Church haue receiued from orthodoxall antiquitie then that they ought for our sake to follow that which is more late If they be not indifferent then the minister ought to carry that colour which of the two is most sutable to his person but I subsume that the white is most sutable in his person therefore it is most fitting that hee bee cloathed therewith my assumption I take to be true for these reasons the white is most decent most ancient and most vsefull in the Church For the first the decency of Apparell standeth in two points one is in that which doth most viuely represent to our mindes the nature of a mans calling his degree or age as the readdish colour doth fit a soldier and the black a Schooleman and such like another is in that which doth best distinguish a particular professour from all others of different callings the first of the two doth note a man himselfe in his own property the second doth note the discrepance of other men from him For distinction of seuerall professours wee must confesse the white is more decent for a Pastour because the blacke gowne is common to the Physician to the Lawyer the Schoolman and the Preacher and is not forbidden to any whosoeuer And for noting the discrepance of the properties of our professions the white is much more significant of Pastorall function then the black as I shall shew heereafter For the second touching antiquity the white is ancient in the Church S. Chrysost. maketh mention of it in his time speaking of the grauitie of the administration of the Sacraments Hom. ad pop Antioch 60. for if saith he to the priests a beast whose mouth were polluted with filthines should come to drink in a cleere fountain wherof ye had vse or benefit ye would not suffer him to lay downe his mouth and why will yee suffer those who bee defiled with odious and abominable vices to put downe their mouthes in the pure fountaine of Christs blood Hac vestra dignitas saith hee hac securitas haec omnis corona non quod albam splendentem tunicam induti circumeatis In your consciencious distribution of the holy Sacrament is your dignitie your security and the crowne of your glory more then in that white and splendid Coate which yee carry in the administration of them as if one should say to a scholler graduate in the vniuersity your honour reputation which you haue abroad lieth not so much in the gowne or hood or scarlet roabe which you weare as in the learning endowment which ye shew in your disputations and writings so as from such speech may be gathered that in the vniuersities such habits are vsed for distinction and ornament in degrees of schoole euen so it is cleerely seene by those words of Chrisostome that the Church seruice in his time and before him hath been adorned with such vestiments And Saint Hierom Coutra Pelag. against those who in his time did despise the white Clericall vestiments what a madnesse saith he is that to count it enimity with God if a Bishop Presbyter or Deacon goe cloathed in their comely white roabe in the seruice of God For the third that the white is more vsefull it appeareth this way speaking of a pastorall habit the white hath a more easie open vnderstandble interpretation then the blacke The blacke wee knowe is a mourning habite where as the white representeth ioyfulnesse and therefore is most proper to him who bringeth the glad tydings of the Gospell while as their is a simpathie between his colors and his commission We doe find in the Scripture often mention of white for a sacred and holy apparell but neuer of the blacke if the Angels of God who be his heauenly Ministers haue appeared before men in their ministration cloathed in white to say that those who bee sacred ministers of the mysteries of Gods Church heere vpon earth cannot finde more diuine shapes or colours to